Minutes before military officials marched from the Delta Armouries to Victoria Park to mark the 78th anniversary of D-Day, a man allegedly spat on a veteran.
A group of veterans had gathered in the area of Dundas and Waterloo streets ahead of the parade around 10 a.m. on Sunday when a man walked by, exposed himself, and then spat on one of the veterans.
London police arrested a 32-year-old man without incident. The London man has since been charged with assault, committing an indecent act, and causing a disturbance. He has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court in relation to the charges on July 20.
Police have said this was a random attack as the suspect and victim were not known to each other.
The military parade proceeded without further issue. Dozens of military personnel, veterans, and community members gathered for the parade and rededication of the newly restored Holy Roller. The Sherman III tank in Victoria Park is the city's most iconic Second World War monument. It landed with the 1st Hussars Regiment in Normandy roughly 20 minutes after the first assault troops went in on June 6, 1944 and was only one of two tanks to survive from D-Day to VE Day.
Nearly 360 Canadian soldiers were killed on D-Day.